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National market update

February Existing-Home Sales Remain Subdued

WASHINGTON (March 20, 2014) – Home prices continued to show solid growth in most of the country due to limited inventory conditions, but rising prices and severe winter weather caused existing-home sales to slip in February, according to the National Association of Realtors®.
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Pending Home Sales Hold Steady in January

WASHINGTON (February 28, 2014) – Pending home sales were essentially unchanged in January, according to the National Association of Realtors®. Monthly gains in the South and Northeast were offset by declines in the West and Midwest.

National housing indicators

Existing home sales ()

Existing home median price ()

Housing Starts ()

New home sales ()

National economic indicators

Home ownership

4th Qtr 2012

65.4%

4rd Qtr 2013

65.2%

The homeownership rate in the fourth quarter 2013 was 65.2 percent, down 0.2 (+/- 0.4)* percentage points from the fourth quarter 2012 rate of 65.4 percent. The homeownership rate in the Northeast was lower than its corresponding fourth quarter 2012 rate, while the rates in the Midwest, South, and West were not statistically different from the rates a year ago.

New home sales

December 2013

-3.8%

January 2014

+9.6%

Sales of new single-family houses in January 2014 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 468,000. This is 9.6 percent (+/- 17.9%)* above the revised December 2013 estimate of 427,000.

Source: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

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Regional market updates

View market statistics for your region.

Click on the links below to view data from two different industry sources. Choose information on local prices & state sales from any of 178 metropolitan housing markets prepared by the National Association of REALTORS® or information on sales & price activity from local area markets in 25 states prepared by Clarus MarketMetrics.

Local Sales & Price Activity

Cheryl Jones

Home Ownership matters…to people, to communities, and to America. Why? • For every two homes sold, one job is created in the U.S. • Each purchase generates as much as $60,000 in economic activity over time. Read more

Buying is now cheaper than renting in 74 percent of the nation’s largest cities. Low home prices and “rock-bottom” interest rates as well as tax advantages of homeownership are the reasons why it’s now cheaper to BUY a 2-bdrm home than to rent one. Check out this CNN Money article with the details. Read more

Disclaimer: The views, opinions, statements and/or ideas expressed in this Message Section do not reflect the ideas, policy, position, views or opinion of Move,Inc.

Consumer tips & hot properties

7-Step Guide to Selling a House

Home selling has become more complex than it used to be. New seller disclosure statements, longer and more mysterious form agreements, and a range of environmental concerns have all emerged in the past decade.
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How to Get a Mortgage With Bad Credit

If you have a credit score that’s considered fair, poor or even bad, you may be assuming that qualifying for a mortgage is out of the question.
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10 Things to Consider Before Making an Offer on a Home

If you’ve narrowed down your choice of a home to one, you may be eager to make an offer and get negotiations started. If you’re buying in a tight market where sellers have the upper hand you may even feel pressured to put in an offer the moment you see a house.
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10 Mistakes to Avoid When Moving

To help your move go smoothly, we offer these 10 common pitfalls we hope you can avoid:
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9 Sins Homeowners Often Commit on Their Taxes

As you calculate your tax returns, consider each home tax deduction and credit you are — and are not — entitled to. Running afoul of any of these 9 home-related tax mistakes — which tax pros say are especially common — can cost you money or draw the IRS to your doorstep.
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Housing Trends eNewsletter is filled with U.S. Census Bureau key market indicators, consumer videos, blogs, a real estate glossary, mortgage rates and calculators, consumer articles, real estate radio, realtor.com® local community reports and local and national real estate sales and price activity provided by local MLSs and the National Association of REALTORS®.

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